About “Dokuchaev’s readings”
The decision of holding the annual conference “Dokuchaev’s readings” was made at the meeting of the Department of Soil Science and Soil Ecology of the St. Petersburg State University in 1997. Initiative was supported by the Academic Council of the Faculty of Biology and Soil Science (St. Petersburg State University) and the Bureau of CA Soil Science Society of the V.V. Dokuchaev (Moscow). The first «Dokuchaev’s readings» were held on March 1-3 in 1998. About 5 000 people from 70 universities and 40 research institutes participated during the existence of “Dokuchaev’s ridings”.
Purposes of the conference are the development of systematic research and experimental work among students and young scientists, involvement of school children in research work on the study of soil science, agrochemistry, ecological problems, the environment.
Tasks of the conference are testing by students, PhD students, of the St. Petersburg State University and other universities, research institutes, materials of their own scientific research, exchange of experience between organizations from different regions of Russia and foreign countries, fostering an attitude of care towards nature, attraction of school children, students, including nonresident and foreign students, to entrance in “Soil Science” and other programs of the Institute of Earth Sciences of the St. Petersburg State University in the framework of career guidance activities, preservation of the authority of the St. Petersburg State University as the organizer of a major scientific Forum in the field of soil science for school children, students, PhD students and young scientists, gaining experience in organizing and holding major scientific events of the International level by students, young scientists and specialists, formation of the educational environment in the professional development of a specialist, development of interregional and international cooperation and networking between schoolchildren, students and young scientists.
A feature of the Dokuchaev’s readings is that the organization of the conference is carried out by a youth organizing committee consisting of students, PhD students, graduates of the Department of Soil Science and Soil Ecology of the St. Petersburg State University, young scientists of the Dokuchaev Central Soil Science Museum – branch of FSBSI FRC V.V. Dokuchaev Soil Science Institute. This approach enables young professionals to gain experience in organization of scientific events.
The Department of Soil Science and Soil Ecology of the St. Petersburg State University was founded in 1922 at the Department of Agronomy and is a part of the Dokuchaev’s scientific and pedagogical school of fundamental soil science. Today, it is equipped with modern instruments and equipment and trains soil scientists at three educational levels: Bachelor's programme, Master's programme, Post Graduate Programme. There are 5 doctors and 1 PHD at the department.
A special school section is held in the Dokuchaev Central Soil Science Museum in the context of the conference.
The new exhibition is opened in the Museum for each conference.
On the first day of the conference after the Plenary session, the participants place flowers on the grave of V.V. Dokuchaev at the Smolensk cemetery.
Organizers of the conference: Saint Petersburg State University, Dokuchaev Central Soil Science Museum, Dokuchaev Society of Soil Science, Interregional CSO “Nature protection union”
Support for the conference provides:
- St. Petersburg State University
- V.V. Dokuchaev Soil Science Institute
Conference is covered by mass media (radio, television).
